Fire burning inside my eyes, this the music that saved my life Y'all be calling it hip-hop, I be calling it hypnotize Yeah, hypnotize, trapped my body but freed my mind

Lyric Meaning

Life in Compton is notoriously rough and violent. Kendrick acknowledges hip-hop’s positive role in his life. Using his passion for music, he has been able to escape an early death.

In fact, his love for hip-hop goes so deep, it is akin to the power of hypnosis; controlling of another’s body while freeing the mind and allowing it to access memories and thoughts buried deep in the subconscious.

The image of being trapped is also reminiscent of being locked in prison. Kendrick is enslaved to making music, while it simultaneously liberates his spirit. It could also be an allusion to Jay-Z’s Can I Live